It wasn't supposed to go down like that last night (Sat., Nov. 12, 2016) for Eddie Alvarez in the main event of UFC 205, which took place inside Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. The then-Lightweight champion was supposed to kick and wrestle Featherweight champion Conor McGregor -- not stand and trade like he did -- and grind his way toward victory.
Of course, he failed to execute that gameplan ... miserably. And he paid the ultimate price, getting dropped three times in the first round and than eventually finished with a precision four-punch combination in the second stanza.
Watch Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez full fight video highlights from UFC 205 last night right here!
"His speed and timing were very good," Alvarez admitted to a throng of mixed martial arts (MMA) media after the loss (transcription via Independent.ie). "I'm not quite sure [why I didn't stick to the gameplan] ... and it was foolish. That was not my intention going into the fight. It was stupid, it was foolish and I paid for not sticking to the game plan.
"I fought a stupid fight, he continued. "It wasn't a good fight."
Meanwhile, it was the fight of a lifetime for the Irishman, who became the first-ever UFC fighter to hold two world titles in two different weight classes at the same time. And, of course, he was not humble in victory, shouting in his immediate post-fight speech that, "he would like to apologize to absolutely nobody -- the double champ does what he wants!"
There's the announcement @TheNotoriousMMA has been waiting to make!! #UFC205 #UFCNYC https://t.co/yLQw0F9oQq
— #UFC205 (@ufc) November 13, 2016
What McGregor now wants is a slice of the larger UFC pie, specifically an ownership stake after anchoring yet another monster pay-per-view (PPV) event. In fact, if UFC 205 eclipses the existing PPV buy record (UFC 202), McGregor will have set back-to-back-to-back high water marks ... all in 2016. It's an unimaginable accomplishment, one that even Alvarez can appreciate in defeat.
"[Conor] has done a phenomenal job and he continues to do a good job for the sport," Alvarez stated before exiting the interview. Talk about an understatement.
For complete results from UFC 205: "McGregor vs. Alvarez," including play-by-play updates, click here and here.
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